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Topic: Hive inspection with a twist (Read 2518 times)

Over the last few months I have been enjoying going through and watching all of JP's videos on youtube. On Sunday I watched the "Bud3-Annual Beemaster Gathering" series JP has up there - the last video being a trap-out demonstration by Iddee.

I felt inspired to open up my hive for the first time and check on the bees' progression. As you'll see in the video, they seem to be doing well.

The inspection took an interesting turn when the phone started ringing and my partner had to run back in to answer it - bizarrely enough it was our next door neighbour asking me to go over to their place, because he had found a lot of bees buzzing around outside!

They were quite amazed when I turned up at their front door not 20 seconds later in my full bee suit. Quite a coincidence we were ready to go, camera and all!

It turns out that there are two holes in my neighbour's eastern-facing brick wall, and there is a lot of bee activity around both holes as you can see in the video. My neighbour says they have been there for at least a week but I need to confirm this. If it has been a week I assume they already have a good nest in there. My neighbour wants the bees out, but doesn't want me to pull down his brick wall or his tiled internal wall either.

I have watched so many videos and it is a crazy coincidence that this happened when I had just finished watching some videos of you guys demonstrating trap-outs etc. However, I'm just new at this! I am unsure whether the trap-out method would work as inside the brick wall is probably completely open space each side of the entrance, and into the ceiling space. So all you seasoned bee people I am after your opinion. What should we do?

Trap outs are also a good way to find if there are any other access points to the hive. If the brick is pretty well sealed up then you shouldn't have too much of an issue with other entrances. Good luck!!

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Everyone said it couldn't be done. But he with a chuckle replied, "I won't be one to say it is so, until I give it a try." So he buckled right in with a trace of a grin. If he had a worry he hid it and he started to sing as he tackled that thing that couldn't be done, and he did it. (unknown)

I plan on using a full size box to enable me to use a SBB with trap to try and help the bees control SHB as much as possible. I am unsure weather to put oil in the trap right away as I am concerned the oil smell may put off the bees taking the box as a new home. Does anyone have any input on this?